HDD Question

[Warhammer]

I have an old computer I was going to take to the recycle center. However, there is an HDD in there that still works that probably has some data on it that I would not want others to have. Any ideas for how to erase the data without transferring it to another computer?

[JPhillips]

Reformat?

[Warhammer]

The other computer is shot. It won't run, but the HDD is still good. When I built my new machine I didn't take the HDD over since it was several years old already.

[sovereignstar]

Just beat the shit out of it. However you like. At minimum throw it against some concrete a half-dozen times.

[JPhillips]

I found this.

I would like to clear off/erase all the programs on my hard drive and clean it up so that it's available for donation. What's the best/simplest way to do this?

•

To begin with, good on you, not only for your donation but for thinking to do this. All too frequently we hear of computers donated by banks, hospitals, or other institutions turning up with all sorts of private information that should have been erased first.

The best way? Well ... how paranoid are you?

•

Conventional wisdom is that reformatting your disk is the right thing to do. And I agree with that, if done properly.

What do I mean by "properly"?

Windows (all versions), and even MS-DOS before it, has the option to perform what's called a "quick format". In reality, a quick format does very little except create an empty root directory on the hard disk and possibly add a label. The rest of the disk is actually assumed to be properly formatted already and left alone. That's why it's quick.

And that's why it's insecure. Since the rest of the disk is left untouched, any data that may already have been there will remain. Many commonly available disk recovery tools will be able to recover data from a "quick" formatted disk.
"Well ... how paranoid are you?"

So the basic and common answer is to reformat the disk, making sure to specify unconditional format. Depending on the version of Windows or MS-DOS you have, that's typically a FORMAT /U at the command line, or making sure that Perform a Quick Format is not checked when using disk management tools.

And that's my general recommendation.

But... here's where paranoia sets in.

It's theoretically possible to recover data even after a disk has been unconditionally formatted. It's not easy and may require special tools (both hardware and software). In general it's a very expensive process. But it may be possible.

It's a common recommendation to use a big heavy magnet to really erase a hard disk. My advice: forget it. Any magnets you're likely to have around the house, even your big speaker magnets, are unlikely to affect your hard disk in any significant way.

An alternate approach is to do that unconditional format several times. Not a bad idea, and if you can I'd also alternate file system types, allocation sizes, and whatever other parameters you have control over between successive formats. It's not bullet-proof, but it will make that difficult potential recovery even more difficult.

But to really, positively, and permanently destroy your data you need to physically destroy the disk. Personally, if I care enough to go this far I use a drill press and drill a few holes all the way through the hard drive casing, through the disk platters, and out the other side. (OK, ok ... even then it's possible for some data recovery by a seriously dedicated, and seriously well financed, expert ... but it's very much like taking a bucket of shredded documents and trying to put them back together - one heck of a lot of work.)

Unfortunately, that level of destruction also makes your gift significantly less useful.

I'd stick with reformatting.

[Warhammer]

I may use the sledgehammer method...

[Saul Goode]

do you know what a magnet is?

[sterlingice]

As work, we have a GDisk that wipes to a DoD standard. I'm not sure how readily available that is around the home, tho

SI

[sovereignstar]

As work, we have a GDisk that wipes to a DoD standard. I'm not sure how readily available that is around the home, tho

SI

Yeah, there are a few wiping programs available. DBAN is open source and free. WipeDrive is another, but costs money I believe. I didn't recommend this method as it's more work and less fun. :D

[sabotai]

Thermite

[PLD3009]

I take them apart.

As soon as the air and dust onto the drives then it is buggered.

If I have any doubt I take a hammer to it :)

[Julio Riddols]

Office Space that shit.

[MizzouRah]

We use GDisk as well, but if they don't spin up, it's 7 well placed holes via a Black and Decker drill. :)

[k0ruptr]

yea a drill would work pretty decently.

[dwardzala]

Thermite

+1 (or +2000 degrees)

[Autumn]

I'veheard the simplest method is to hammer a nail through the center.

[Sun Tzu]

stop looking at cat porn.